Sanatam Dharma

SANATANA DHARMA AN KLEMENTARY TEXT-BOOK OF HINDU RELIGION AND ETHICS PUBLISHED BV.THE MANAGING COMMiTTFK CENTRAL HINDU COLLEGE BENARES 1916 Off TRANSLATION AND REPRODUCTION JS Rt6RVffl).] Price An* t'2, hoards. Re. 1, cloth. Postage 1$ Anna







SANATANA DHARMA AN ELEMENTARY TEXT-BOOK OF HINDU RELIGION AND ETHICS PUBLISHED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES CENTRAL HINDU COLLEGE BENARES 1916 [THE BIGHT OF TBANSLATION AND BEPBODUCTION U RE9KBVED. ] Price Ant. 12, boardt. Re. 1, cloth. Pottage 1$ Ann*.

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1701 \"



FOREWORD. Board of Trustees of the Central Hindu THECollege has laid down the following princi- ples on which religious and moral teaching is to be given in all institutions under its control. The object of the Central Hindu College being to combine Hindu religious and ethical training with the western education suited to the needs of the time, it is necessary that this religious and ethical training shall be of a wide, liberal and un- sectarian character, while at the same time it shall be definitely and distinctively Hindu. It must be inclusive enough to unite the most divergent forms of Hindu thought, but exclusive enough to leave outside it, forms of thought which are non-Hindu. It must avoid all doctrines which are the subject of controversy between schools recognised as ortho- dox it must not enter into any of the social and ; political questions of the day ; but it must lay a solid foundation of religion and ethics on which the student may build, in his manhood, the more spe- cialised principles suited to his intellectual and emotional temperament. It must be directed to the

( vi ) building up of a character pious, dutiful, strong, self-reliant, upright, righteous, gentle and well- balanced a character which will be that of a good man and a good citizen ; the fundamental principles of religion, governing the general view of life and of life's obligations, are alone sufficient to form such a character. That which unites Hindus in a common faith must be clearly and simply taught ; all that divides them must be ignored. Lastly, care must be taken to cultivate a wide spirit of tolerance, which not only respects the differences of thought and practice among Hindus, but which also respects the differences of religion among non- Hindus, regarding all faiths with reverence, as roads whereby men approach the Supreme. Therefore : 1. The religious and ethical instruction must be such as all Hindus can accept. 2. It must include the special teachings which mark out Hinduism from other religions. 3. It must not include the distinctive views of any special school or sect. This elementary Text-Book, written in accord- ance with this scheme, is intended for the use of

( vii ) Hindu boys in the middle and upper sections of the High Schools of India, and is designed to give them a general but correct idea of their national religion, such as may be filled in by fuller study in College and in later life, but will not need to be changed in any essential respect. It contains the fundamental ideas and doctrines which are generally received as orthodox, but does not entei* into the details as to which sectarian divisions have arisen. It is believed that while a sectarian parent or teacher will probably make additions to it, he will not find in it anything which he will wish positively to repudiate. While the book may be placed in the hands of the boys for their own study, it is intended to be simplified by the oral explanations of the teacher, and each chapter serves as an outline on which one or more lessons may be based. The shlokas given at the end of the chapters should be committed to memory by the boys. They will thus acquire a useful store of sacred authorities on their religion. The name of this series, Sanatoria Dharma, was chosen after full discussion, as best represent- ing the idea of the fundamental truths presented.

( viii ) It has become somewhat of a sectarian name in ome part* of India, but it is here taken only as meaning the eternal religion. That this book may prove useful in laying a firm foundation of right thinking in the minds of Hindu youths, and may help in shaping them into pious, moral, loyal and useful citizens of their Motherland and of the Empire, is the prayer with which its compilers send it forth to the world.

CONTENTS. PART I. Pagik. Introduction ... ... ... ... ... 1 BASIC HINDU RELIGIOUS IDEAS. ... 10 ... 19 Chapter I. The One Existence ... ... ... 32 Chapter II. The Many ... ... ... 42 Chapter III. ... ... 53 Chapter Re-birth ... ... 63 Chapter IV. . ,. V. Karma ... ... Sacrifice Chapter VI. The Worlds Visible and Invisible PART II. GENERAL HINDU RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS AND RITES. Chapter I. The Samaskaras ... ... ... 73 Chapter II. ... ... 79 Chapter Shraddha ... ... ... 83 Chapter III. ... ... 90 Chapter Shaucbam ... ... 95 Chapter IV. ... 101 Chapter V. The five Daily Sacrifices ...Ill VI. VII. Worship ... ... ... ... The Four Ashramas ... ... The Four Castes ... PART III. ETHICAL TEACHINGS. Chapter I. Ethical Science, what it is ... ... 121 Chapter II. The Foundation of Ethics as given by Religion ... 126 ... Chapter III. Right and Wrong ... ... 130 Chapter IV. ... - 138 Chapter V. The Standard of Ethics ... Chapter VI Chapter VII Virtues and their foundation ... ... 141 Chapter VIIF. Chapter IX. Bliss aud Amotions ... ... ... 153 Chapter X. Chapter XI. Self-regarding Virtues.- ... 159 ... 175 Virtues and Vices in relation to Superiors ... 195 ... 227 Virtues anil Vices in relation to Equals Virtues and Vices in relation to Inferiors The Re-action of Virtues and Vices on each other ... , ... 247



SANATANA DHARMA. PART I. BASIC HINDU RELIGIOUS IDEAS.



INTRODUCTION. DHARMA means the Eternal SANATANAReligion, the Ancient Law, and it is based on the Vedas, sacred books given to men many long ages ago. This Religion has also been called the Aryan Religion, because it is the Religion that was given to the first nation of the Aryan race ; Arya means noble, and the name was given to a great race, much finer in character and appearance than the races which went before it in the world's historv. The first families of these people settled in the northern part of the land now called India, and that part in which they first settled was named A A Aryavarta, because these Aryans lived in it. \"(The land) from the eastern ocean to the western ocean, between the two mountains (Himavan and Vindhya), the wise call Aryavarta.\"

(2 ) In later days the Religion was called the Hindu Religion, and this is the name by which it is now usually known. It is the oldest of living Religions, and no other Religion has produced so many great men great teachers, great writers, great sages, great saints, groat kings, great warriors, great statesmen, great benefactors, great patriots. The more you know of it, the more you will honour and love it, and the more thankful you will be that you were born into it. But unless you grow up worthy of it, this great and holy Religion will do you no good. The Basis of Sanatana Diiarma. The Ancient Religion is based on one strong foundation on which are erected the walls of its structure. The foundation is called sna: Shrutih \"that which has been heard ;\" the walls are called *Jfd: Smrtih, \"that which has been remembered/' The Shruti has been given through very wise men, who heard it and received it from Devas ; these sacred teachings were not written down till comparatively modern times, but were learnt by heart, and constantly repeated. The teacher sang them to his pupils, and the pupils sang them after him, a few words at a time,

(3) over and over again, till they knew them thorough- ly. Boys still learn the Shruti in the same way as their forefathers learnt it in very ancient days, and you may hear them chanting it in any Vaidika Pathashala at the present time. The Shruti consists of the grg^r: Chaturvedab, the Four Vedas. Veda means knowledge, that which is known and the knowledge which is the ; foundation of Religion is given to man in the Four ^:Vedas. They are named : gg* Rigvedah ; *TntT%^: Samavedah 53T3Jef : Yajurvedah ; and 3rsHj%3;: ; Atharvavedah. Each Veda is divided into three parts : 1. jt^p Mantrah ; or J-rftr^TT Samhitii, collection. 2. srfiinmi Brabmanam. 3. 3\"qT^T^ Upanishat. The Mantra portion consists of Mantras, or sentences in which the order of sounds has a parti- cular power, produces certain effects. These are in the form of hymns to the Devas whose relations to men we shall study presently and when they are properly chanted by properly instructed persons, certain results follow. These are used in religious ceremonies, and the value of the ceremony depends chiefly upon their proper repetition.

( I) The Brahmana portion of the Vedas consists of directions about ritual and explains how to perform the ceremonies in which were used the Mantras given in the first part ; and further, stories connec- ted with them. The Upanishat portion consists of deep philo- sophical teachings on the nature of Brahman, on the supreme and the separated Self, on man and the universe, on bondage and liberation. It is the foundation of all philosophy, and when you are men, you may study it and delight in it. Only highly educated men can study it it is too difficult ; for others. There was a fourth part of the Veda in the ancient days, sometimes called the T7%^*: Upavedah, or <T?3rq[ Tantram ; this consisted of science, and of practical instructions based on the science but ; very little of the true ancient Tantra remains, as the R ; shis took them away as unsuitable for times in whi^h people were less spiritual. Some Tantrika forms of ritual are, however, used in worship, along with, or instead of, the current Vaidika forms. The books now extant under the name of Tantras are generally not regarded as part of the Veda. That which is found in the Shruti is of supreme authority and is accepted by every faithful follower

(5 ) of the Sanatana Dharma as final. All the sects, all the philosophical systems, appeal to the Shruti as the fin 1 authority, determining every dispute. The S nriti or Dhirma Snastra, is founded on, and scan Is next in authority to, the Shruti, and consists of four great works, written by Sages, the chief contents of which are laws and regulations for the cirrying on of individual, family, social and national life. Hindu Society is founded on, and governed by, these laws. They are : 1. W3*Jjr%: or JTPrsrenrsrr^ Manu Smrtih or Mdnava Dharma Shdstram. The Institutes of Manu. 2. *irfr3r$^r*3=[r%: Ydjflavalkya SmrtiTj,. 3. , Shankha Likhita Smrtih. $J*a f%f'errTSJjn:T: 4. srnj^qpjf^T: Parashara Smrtify. The first of these is the chief compendium of Aryan law, Manu being the great Law-giver of the race. Hindu chronology divides the history of a world into seven great periods or cycles of time, each of which is begun and is ended by a Manu, and is therefore called a Manvantara, Manu-antara, \"between (two) Manus.\" \" Six other Manus, very great-minded and of great splendour, belonging to the race of this Manu, the descendant of Svayambhu, have each produced 2

(6) beinsrs.\" As there are two M;inus for each Man- vantara, that shows that we are in th^ fourth Man- vantara, under the rule of the seventh Manu, who is, the next shloka tells us, the son of Vivasvat. Some of his laws are handed down in the Manu Smrtih. The Ydjflavalkya Smrtih follows the same gene- ral line as the Manu Smrtih and is next in im- portance to it. The other two ar* not now much studied or referred to, except in some parts of Southern India. While the Shruti and the Smriti are the founda- tion and the walls of the Sanatana Dharma, there are two other important supports like buttresses ; the Pumnani, Puranas, and the frcHJPH\": ^4|4jji?*r, Itihasah, History. The Puranas consist of histories and stories and allegories, composed for the use of the less learned part of the nation, especially for those who could not study the Vedas. They are very interesting to read, and are full of information of all kinds. Some of the allegories are difficult to understand, and require the help of a teacher. The Itihasa comprises two great poems : 1. The imw<JJH Bdmdyanam, the history of Shri Ramachandra, the son of King Dasharatha, and

(1) of His wife Sita, and of His brothers, a most in- teresting and delightful story, as you all know. 2. The JT^nTPCrf, Mahabharatam, the history of the Kurus, a royal family of Northern India, which split into two parties, the Kurus and the Pandavas, between whom a great war broke out. It coDtains an immense number of beautiful stories, noble moral teachings, and useful lessons of all kinds. These two books, the Rdrndvana and the Mahdbhdrata, tell us most of what we know about ancient India, about her people and customs, and her ways of living, and her arts, and her manu- factures. If you read these, you will learn how great India once was, and you will also learn how you must behave to make her great once more.* The Science and Philosophy of Sanatana 1)harma. While the Shruti and the Smriti, the Purauas and the Itihasa make the edifice of Hindu Religion, we find that the Religion itself has given rise to a splendid literature of Science and Philosophy. The Science was divided into the uplift Shad- angani, the Six Angas, literally Limbs and these ; 'Summaries of these have been given as lectures at the C. H. College, by Annie Besant, and are published as Tlie Story of the Great War, and Shri Jtamachandra,

V8 ) six Limbs, or Branches, comprised what would now be called secular knowledge. In the old days reli- gious and secular knowledge were not divided. They included Grammar, Philology, Astrology, Poetry, together with sixty-four sciences and arts, and the method by which study should be carried on, so that any one who mastered the six angas was a man of varied and deep learning. The Philosophy also had six divisions, the M^SAMIR Shaddarshanani, the Six Darshanas, or ways of seeing things, usually called the Six Sys- tems. They all have one object : the putting an end to pain by enabling the separated human selves pto re-unite with the supreme Self and they all have ; one method the development of tyMH Jnanam, Wisdom. The ways employed are different, to suit the different mental constitutions of men, so that they are like six different roads, all leading to one town. As to what is contained in the Six Systems of philosophy, it will be enough for boys to know this ; The Ny&ya and the Vaisheshika arrange all the things of the world into a certain number of kinds ; then point out that a man knows all things by means of his senses, or by inference and analogy, or by testimony of other (wise and experienced)

(a) men and then they explain how God has made ; all this material world oat of atoms and molecules ; finally they show how the highest and most useful knowledge is the knowledge of God, who is also the inmost Spirit of man, and how this knowledge is obtained in various ways. The Sankhya explains in more detail and in new ways the nature of jps^T. Purushaht, Spirit, and of sr^jfan Prakritifr, Matter, and relation of each to the other. The Yoga says that as there are now generally known five senses and five organs of action, so there are other subtler senses and organs; and explains more fully how they may be developed by men who are seeking to know God, who is their own true inmost Spirit. The Mimansft explains what karma is, L e., act- ion, both religious and worldly, and what are its consequences, causes and effects, and how it binds man to this world or to another. The Vedanta finally tells fully what is the exact and true nature of God, or Atma, and shows that Jiva of man is in essence the same as this inmost God, and explains how man may five so that karma shall not bind him; and finally, by understanding

( 10 ) what the Maya Shakti of God is, by which all this world comes forth and appears and disappears, how he may (after practice of Yoga) merge himself into and become one with God and so gain Moksha. :o :

CHAPTER I. The One Existence. is one Infinite Eternal, Changeless THEREExistence, the All. From That all comes forth to That all ; returns. \"One only, without a second.\"* That includes within Itself all that ever has been, is, and can be. As a wave rises in the ocean, a universe rises in the All. As the wave sinks again into the ocean, a universe sinks again into the All, As the ocean is water, and the wave a form or manifestation of the water, so is there one Exis- tence, and the universe is a form, or manifestation, of the Existence. \" All this verily (is) Brahman.\"f This is the primary truth of Religion. Men have given to the All many different names. The nantie in the Sanatana Dharma is Brahman. English-speaking people use the name God, add- ing, to make the meaning clear, God, in His own *Ckhandogyop, VI, ii I. rThid, III, xiT i, \"This'\" is the technical name for a universe.

( 12 ) Nature.\" Sometimes the Hindu speaks of the All as Nirguna Brahman, the Brahman without attri- butes, or the unconditioned Brahman. This is tc distinguish the unmanifested state of Brahman, the All, from the manifested state, in which Brahman is called the S*guna Brahman, the Brah- man with attributes, or the conditioned Brahman the Supreme Ishvara with His universe. These are called: \"the two states of Brahman ;\" the subject is very difficult, and it is enough for a boy to understand that the Ssguna Brahman is Brahman revealed not \"a second,\" but Brahman shining forth as The One, the Great Lord of Being, Thought and Bliss. He is the self-existent One, the Root and Cause of all beings. He is al*o some- times called Purusottama, the Supreme Spirit, The Self. With Himself as Spirit He reveals the other side of the All, which is named Miilapra- kriti, the Root of Matter. Prakriti, Matter, is that which takes form, and so can give bodies of all sorts and shapes and kinds all that we can ; touch, taste, smell, see, and hear, is Matter, and a great deal more besides, which our five senses are not yet developed enough to perceive. The solids, li rihadiiranyakoj), II, iii 1.

( 13 ) liquids and gases of the chemist are made of Matter; all the things round us, stones, trees, animals, men, are made of Matter. But the whole of them is not Matter ; inaudible, invisible, unsmellable, untastable, intangible, the Spirit is in each, an ifo: Amshafo, Wea portion, of fshvara. call the Matter part a tnftTH Shariram, body ; or a ^jpr. koshafr,* sheath ; or an <4Mlfv?: Upadhilj, vehicle that which embodi- ; es, clothes, or carries the Spirit. Thus Ishvara is in everything, and it is He who gives life to all things. He is UTrTIT Atma, the Self, the Immortal, the Inner Ruler, dwelling in all objects, and there is nothing that can' exist apart from Him. An amshah of Him in a body of matter is called a Jiva, or a Jivatmsi, a separated Self. There are some very important differences be- tween Spirit and Matter, as well as the differences just spoken of : that the senses, when completely developed, can perceive Matter, while they cannot perceive Spirit, and that Matter takes form while Spirit is formless. It is the Spirit that is life, and that thinks, and feels, and observes, that is the M \" in each of us. And the Spirit is one and the I same in everybody and in everything. But Matter *Spelt also gfifa: koshah.

H () cannot think, or feel, or observe ; it is 3TS Jadam r without consciousness. And it has also the tend- ency to be constantly dividing itself into many forms and to become many. So that Spirit and Matter are said to be the opposites one of the other Spirit is called the knower, the one that ; knows, while Matter is called the object of know- ledge, that which is known. Students should try to understand these differ- ences, and must never confuse Spirit and Matter ; they are opposites, the first \" pair of opposites,\" out of which a universe is built up. Just as Spirit has three qualities, ?<nj Psr^iTR^-- Sat Chit Anandara Being, Thought- Power and Bliss, so has Matter three qualities <nr: csr*. HrTO Tamah, Rajah, Sattvam-Inertia, Mobility, Rhythm. Inertia gives resistance and stability to Matter ; Mobility keeps Matter active, moving about ; Rhythm makes the movements regular. You may A\" stone does not move of itself.\" B ut say : science tells you that every particle in that stone particles too small for you to see is moving rapid- ly and regularly to and fro, is vibrating, to use the scientific term.

( 15 ) The tff^r: Shaktih, or the Divine Power of tsh- vara, which makes Matter begin to take form, is called mn\\ Maya, and sometimes ^fhrfn%: ; Daivi- prakrtih, the Divine Prakrti. Shri Krshna speaks of \" My Divine \" as \" My other Prakrti, Prakrti the higher, the life-element, by which the universe is upheld.\"* The student may think of the great pair of opposites, Ishvara and Mulaprakrti, standing, as it were, face to face and the Divine Power of Ishvara shining out on Mulaprakrti and making the qua- lities, called fJUFn gun ah, act on each other, sol that many forms begin to appear. This Divine power is Maya, and so Ishvara is called the Lord of MayaV Even young students must try to remember these names, and what they mean, for they cannot otherwise understand the teaching of the Bhdga- vad Gltdy which every Hindu boy must try to un- derstand. It may be well to say that the word Prakrti is generally used instead of Mulaprakrti, the prefix Miila, Root, being usually left out. *Iihagavad Gita, vii 5.

( 16 ) qF3 ^ ^as*** vfavgg **rfe^$ a \" I will declare that which ought to be known, that which b?ing known i rumor tali ty is enjoyed the beginningless supreme Brahman, called neither Being nor Not -Being. \"Everywhere That has hands and feet, every- where eyes, heads and mouths all hearing, He ; dwelleth in the world, enveloping all ; \" with all sense-faculties, without any Shining eense unattached, supporting everything ; and ; __^tinguishable ; at hand and far away is That. free from qualities, enjoying qualities. \"Without and within all beings, immovable and also movable by a reason of his subtlety indis- ; <k, ' Ithagarad Oita, xiii,12 17.

( 17 ) \" Not divided amid beings and yet seated dis- tributively. That is to be known as tbe supporter of beings ; He devours and He generates. That, the Light of all lights, is said to be beyond darkness wisdom, the object of wisdom, by wisdom ; to be reached, seated in the hearts of all. \" This was in the form of Darkness, unknown, without marks [or homogeneous], unattainable by reasoning, unknowable, wholly, as it were, in sleep. \" Then the self-Existent, the Lord, unmanifest, (but) making manifest. This the great elements and the rest appeared with mighty power, - Dispel ler of Darkness. \" He who <;an be grasped by that which is beyond the senses, subtle unm mife^t, ancient, containing all beings, inconceivable, even He Himself shone forth.\" * Itanu Smriti i 5, 6, 7. t Bhagava4 Gita, x 20.

(1 ) \" Gudakesha, am the Self, seated in the I, heart of all beings ; I am the beginning, the mid- \" dle, and also the end of all beings. %%srerisRn *tr* =51 amrf : g^reiff: II + \" There are two Purushas in this world, the des- tructible and the indestructible the destructible is ; all beings, the unchanging is called the indestruct- ible. \" The highest Purusha is verily another, declar- ed as the Supreme Self He who pervading all, ; sustaineth the three worlds, the indestructible Tshvara. <k Since I excel the destructible, and am more excellent also than the indestructible, in the world and in the Veda I am proclaimed Prushottama. \" juMrh *fNr% sfrgr^: hstct*. i *t: *STJfrf?2[*m% ngfawft ^fr% II* * Ibid, xv If,. * Bhagarad GUa, xv 7.

( 19 ) \" A portion of: Mine own Self, transformed in the world of life into an immortal Spirit, draweth round itself the senses, of which the mind is the sixth, veiled in matter. sm Hi*f sjfT$ frrg?^ gdrwrcn; I ^ $M%sft ^rc 1^^^% tvrrtrci ll \" Seated equally in all beings, the supivme lshvara, un perishing within the perishing ; he who thus seeih, he seeth. \" When he preceiveth the diversified exsistence of beings as rooted in One and spreading forth from It, then he reacheth Brahman. \"As the one sun illumineth the whole earth so the Lord of the field, illumineth the whole field, Bha'T.tM.\" arev^rf JT^rsrrtr *t?i 'OT^ sm?* ft * and \"Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Other, Mind t Ibid xiii 27 30, 33. * Bhagavad-Gita, vii, 4-5.

( 20 ) Reason also and Egoism these are the eight- fold mydivisions of Prakrti. \" This the inferior. Know my other Prakrti, the higher, the life-element, mighty-armed, by which the universe is upheld. \" \" Sattva, Rajas, Tamas, these are the Gunas, born of Prakriti they bind fast in the body, ; great-armed one, the indestructible dweller in the body.\" t Ibid xiv 5 :o

CHAPTER II. The Many. Ishvara shines out on Prakriti and WHENmakes it fall into shapes, the first Forms that appear are those of the HnjT^r: Tri- miirtih, the three Aspects of Ishvara, manifested to cause a sfiPNTsf Brahmandam, literally an Egg of Brahma, a universe, or orderly system of worlds. The aspect of Ishvara in which He creates the worlds is named Brahms! Brahma is the Creator. ; The aspect of Ishvara in which He preserves, takes care of, and maintains the worlds is named Vishnu; Vishnu is the Preserver. The aspect of Ishvara in which He dissolves the worlds, when they are worn out and of no further use, is named Shiva, or Mahadeva Shiva is the Dissolver of the worlds. ; These are the first manifestations of Ishvara, His Supreme Forms, His three Aspects, or Faces. The One, the Saguna Brahman, or the Supreme Ishvara, appears as Three. Brahma, the Creator, shapes matter into seven <jr3TI% Tattvani, Elements, as they have been called.* Different Dames are given to the first two ; * The western chemist uses the word in a different sense, but the old meaning is the one we are concerned with.

)) we may use the names Mahat-Buddhi, Pure Rea- sod, and Abamkara, Egoism, the principle of sepa- ration, breaking up matter into tiny particles, called atoms. Then come the remaining five Tattvas : Akasha, Ether Vayu, Air Agni, Fire Apa, ; ; ; Water Prithivi, Earth. This is called the crea- ; tion of the *ffffe BhutMi, Elements, and out of these all things are partly made. There is more of Tamo-guna than of Rajo-guna and of Sattva-guna showing itself in these elements, and so the things composed chiefly of them are dull and inert the ; inner life, the Jiva, cannot show its powers, for the coat of matter is so thick and heavy. Next after the Elements, the ten Indriyas are created ; these were at first only ideas in the mind of Brahma, and later were clothed in the Elements ; they are the five centres of the senses : smell, taste, sight, touch, hearing, the organs of which are the nose, tongue, eyes, skin and ears ; and the five centres of action, the organs of which are hands, feet, and those of speech, generation and excretion. There is more of Rajo-guna than of Tamo-guna and of Sattva-guna shewing itself in these Indriyas, so they are very active, and the inner life, the Jiva, can show more of its powers in them. After the Indriyas, Brahma created in His

23 mind the l.)evas who are connected with the senses, and also Manah, the mind, which is some- times called the sixth Indriya, when the first five are spoken of, and the eleventh, when the ten are taken : because it draws into itself and arranges and thinks over all the sensations collected by the indriyas from the outer world. There is more of Sattva-guna than of Tamo-guna and of Rajo-guna showing itself in these Deities and Manah. The student must remember that these gunas are never separated, but one guna may be more dominant than another in any particular being. When Tamo-guna dominates, the being is called tamasik when Rajo-guna dominates, the being is ; called rajasik ; when Sattva-guna dominates, the being is called sattvik. All things may be divided under these three heads of sattvik, rajasik, and tamasik.* Brahma next created in His mind the hosts of l)evas, who carry out, administer the laws of Ishvara, and see to the proper management of all the worlds. Jshvara is the King, the One Lord, and the ])evas are His ministers, like the ministers and officials of an earthly king. The students must never confuse the Pevas with the supreme Ishvara, with * See Bha<jiad-G'ita, xiv, xvii arid xviii.

24 Brahman. They are His higher officials for the Brahmanda, as we men are His lower officials for this one particular world. The I.)evas, sometimes called Suras, see that each man gets what he has earned by his karma.* They give success and failure in worldly things, according to what a man deserves they help men ; in many ways, when men try to serve them, and much of the bad weather and sickness and famine and other national troubles come from men entirely neglecting the duties they owe to the pevas. The Pevas are a vast multitude, divided under their five Rulers, Indra, \\ ayu, Agni, Varuna and Kubera. Indra has to do with the ether Vayu ; with the air ; Asmi with the fire : Varuna with the water Kubera with the earth. The l.)evas ; under each have different names, as we see in the Puranas and the Itihasa. The student may have read, for instance, how Bhima fought with the Yakshas, who were the servants of Kubera. In these Pevas the Ilajo-guna dominates ; Manu says that their \" nature is action.\" The Asuras, the enemies of the Pevas, embody the resistance, or inertia, of Matter, and in them Tamo-guna is predominant. * Karma is explained in Chapter IV.

25 Brahma then created in His mind minerals, plants, animals and men, thus completing the pic- ture of the worlds wherein the unfolding of the powers of the Jiva what is now called Evolution was to take place. In Sanskrit this world-evolu- tion, or world-process, is called H^TTT*. Samsarah, and it is compared to a wheel, constantly turning, on which all Jivas are bound. Thus Brahma completed His share of the great task of a universe, but the forms needed, to be clothed in physical matter, to be made active be- ings ; this was the work of Vishnu, the All-perva- der, the Maintainer and Preserver of the worlds. He breathed His Life into all these forms, and, as a Purana says, became Prana in all forms and gave them consciousness. Then all the Brahmanda u became full of life and consciousness.\" But even this was not enough, when man came upon the scene. Two Aspects of Ishvara had given Their Life, but the third Aspect remained, the One who dissolves forms and thus liberates the Jivas, calling them to union and bliss. The life of Mahadeva must be poured out to complete the triple Jiva of man, that he might be the perfect reflexion of the triple Ishvara. This was done, and the human Jiva began his long evolution, having already passed

26 through, evolved through, the mineral, vegetable Aand animal kingdoms in previous kalpas. very beautiful description of the evolution through A plants and animals to men, until \" in man is Atma manifest,\" and \" by the mortal he desires the im- mortal,\" may be read by elder students in the Aitareyaranyaka* and will be found in the Ad- vanced Text-Book. The special manifestations of Vishnu, called Avataras, must not be forgotten. The word means One who descends, from tri passing over, the prefix \"ava\" giving the significance of descending. It is applied to Divine manifestations of a peculiar kind, in which the Deity incarnates in some form to bring about some special result. When things are going bndly with the world, and special help is needed to keep the world on the road of right evolution, then Vishnu conies down in some appro- priate form, and puts things right. Ten of His Avataras are regarded as more im- portant than the others, and are often spoken of as \"the Ten Avataras.\" 1. Matsya, the fish. Vaivasvata Manu once saw a little fish, gasping for water, and put it into a bowl it grew, and He placed it in a larger pot ; ; * II. iii 2.

27 then again in a larger, and then in a tank, a pond r a river, the sea, and ever the Fish grew and filled its receptacle. Then the Manu knew that this Fish was connected with His own life-work, and when the time came for Him to save the seeds of life from a great flood, He entered a ship with the Rishis and the necessary life- seeds, the great Fish appeared, and drew the vessel to the world where lay the Manu's Avork. With the coming of the Fish began the great evolution of animal life in the world. 2. Kurma, the Tortoise. As the tortoise, Vishnu, supported the whirling mountain, which churned the great sea of matter, that it might give forth the necessary forms. The Tortoise is the type of the next great step in evolution. 3. Varaha, the Eoar. The earth was sunk below the waters, and Vishnu raised it up, giving, in the Boar, the type of the great mammalian king- dom which was to flourish on the dry land. Modern Science recognises these three great stages of evolution, each marked in Hinduism by an Avatara. 4. Narasimha, the Man-Lion. This was the Avatara that came to free the earth from the tyranny of the Daityas. Into this race a child, Prahlada,

28 was born, who from earliest childhood was devoted to Vishnu, despite the threats and the cruelties of his Diatya father. Over and over again the father tried to slay the son, but ever Vishnu intervened to save him at last He burst from a pillar in the ; form of a Man- Lion, and slew the Daitva Kino\". 5. Vamana, the Dwarf. At last He came as man, to aid the evolution of the human race, and gained from Bali the right to all He could cover, in three steps ; one step covered the earth, and thus He won for man the field of his evolution. 6. Parashurama, R&ma of the Axe. This Avatara came to punish such of the Kshttriyas as were oppressing the people, and to teach bad rulers the danger of using power to tyrannise, instead of to help. 7. Rama, usually called Ranaachandra, the eon of Dasharatha. He, with His three brothers, came as the ideal Kshattriya, the model King, and He serves as an example of a perfect human life. An obedient and loving son, a tender husband, an affectionate brother, a gallant warrior, a wise ruler, a diligent protector of His people, He is emphati- cally The Perfect Man. His splendid story is told in Valmiki's Rdmayanam, and the lovely version of Tulsi Das is known in every northern Indian home.

29 8. Krishna, the manifestation of Divine Love and Wisdom, worshipped by myriads with intense devotion. As the marvellous child of Vraja and Vrindavana, as the friend of Arjuna, as the speaker of the Bhdgai'ad-GUd, as the wise counsellor of the Pandavas, as the adored of Bhishma what Indian boy does not know His story ? He is the central Figure of the Mahdbhdrtam and His Life is traced in several Puranas. 9. Buddha, the gentle prince who gave up throne and luxury to become a travelling mendi- cant, Teacher of the Truth. He is known as Sh&kyamuni, as Gautama, as Siddhartha, and is the founder of a mighty faiih, followed by millions of the human race. In him Vishnu teaches vast multitudes of non -Aryan peoples. 10. Kalki the Avatara who shall close the Kali Yuga, and whose coming is yet in the future. When He comes, the Satya Yuga, will return to earth, a new cycle will begin. The development and perfection of the human type is indicated by these Avataras.

30 mw* * r^rf ftftiuiitta ir H \" Within Thy Form, God, the Gods I seeT All grades of being with distinctive marks ; Brahma the Lord, upon His lotus-throne, The Rishis all, and Serpents, the Divine. A Rudras, Vasus, Sadhyas and Adityas, Vishvas, the Ashvins, Maruts, Ushmapas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Siddhas, Asuras, In wondering multitudes beholding Thee.'' wfix *m jrraf^rTJrorg : i ** \"Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, they call him r and He is the radiant golden -feathered Garutm&n, Of Him who is one, Sages speak as manifold ; they call him Agni, Yama, Matarishva.\" * Iihugavad-Gila, xi 15 and 22. ** Bigreda, I, clxiv, 46. f Manutmriti, xii, 119.

ol \"All the Gods (are) even the Self : all rests on the Self. \"Some call Him Agni, others Manu, (others) Prajapati, some Indra. others Life -Breath, others the eternal Brahman.\" *^r$T: sre^r st^jt: I spjr^rfkfegr: ht**t siren _**Ci_ ^rrr ??3^Tr <rogr g*frm i t \"As from a blazing fire sparks, all similar to each other, spring forth in thousands so from the Indestructible, beloved, various types of being are born, and they also return thither \"From That are born Breath, Mind, and all the Senses, Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, the support of all * Ibid, 124. I Mundakop, 11, i, 117.

32 \"From that in various ways are born, the Gods, Sadhyas, Men, Beast, Birds. ^snir^TTV^ rrm-rr vmms%r*im il 3T*ir T^fcr ^?T^rr ws^ r%gfo *rsmr. I \"From Sattva wisdom is born, and also greed from Rajah ; negligence and delusion are of Tamah, and also unwisdom. \"They rise upwards who are settled in Sattva ; the Rajasic dwell in the midmost place. The Tamasic go downwards, enveloped in the vilest qualities.\" mi^srecrosjrw^ *rer% *nT<r 1 SR *T^T <T^T lTOTf fefSC ^Tc^fffc^^ II ^jT^mfsr 3tpi^ fefi *rere*r 11 &w%<m^<rn?r fef^ir ^5^5* 11 1 \"Sattva attacheth to bliss, Raj'ifr to action, *Bhagavad-{fitd, xiv, 17. IS. f fi/nif/umd-f/ifa, xiv, 9-/3.

Bharata. Tamalj, verily, having shrouded wisdom, attacheth on the contrary, to heedlessness. (Now) Sattva prevaileth, having overpowered Rajah and Tamak, Bharata ; (now) Rajafr (having overpowered) Tamas and Sattva, (now) Tamas, (having overpowered) Rajah and Sattva. \"When the wisdom-light streameth forth from all the gates of the body, then it may be known that Sattva is increasing. \"Greed, outgoing energy, undertaking of ac- tions, restlessness, desire these are born of the increase of Rajah, best of the Bharatas. \"Darkness, stagnation and heedlessness, and also delusion these are born of the increase of Tamah, joy of the Kurus.\" TfT^iwrT ^r^f furore ^ 5^rr*i 11 \"When dharma decays, when adharma is exalt- ed then I Myself come forth; For the protection of the good, for the destruc- tion of evil-doers, for firmly establishing dharma, I am born from a^e to age.\" * Bkagavad-Gita, ir, 7. 8.

CHAPTER III. RE-BIKTH. THE evolution spoken of in the last chapter is carried on by the Jiva passing from body to body, the bodies improving as his powers unfold; this is called re-birth, re-incarnation, or transmigra- tion. The word re-incarnation means literally tak- ing flesh again, coming again into a physical body. The word transmigration means passing from one place to another passing into a new body. Either word can be used equally well. Let us see what is the process described by these words. The Ji va, we have seen, is a portion of Brahman, \"a portion of myself, a Jiva,\" says Shri Krshna. He contains the powers of Brahman, is Brahman. \"Thou art That,\" the Shruti teaches. But yet there is a difference in Space and Time, as the seed is different from the tree. The tree produces a seed, giving it its own nature; it drops the seed on the ground, and the seed slowly grows, putting out its hidden powers, until it becomes a tree like its parent; it can become nothing else, because its nature is the same as that of the parent. And so with the Jiva; like a seed he is dropped into matter by Ishvara, he slowly grows, putting out his hidden powers, until he becomes Ishvara; he can become